Mail-signal.



No. 834,122. PATENYTED 0012s, 1906.

P. A. GORDON. MAIL SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.27v 1905,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

77 h v I l ltmm q 'PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.

P. A. GORDON. MAIL SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED 00127. 1905.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

"Specification of Letters Patent.

J Application filed October 27, 1905. Serial No. 284,712.

Patented Oct. 23. 1906.

4T0 all whom itmay concern.-

Be' it known that I, PERRY A. GORDON, a citizenof the United States, residing at Jet, in

I the county of Woods, Territory of Oklahoma,

have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Signals and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

LT-his invention relates to signals. One object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable, and eflicient device for manipulation by a mail-carrier or other person for the purpose of signaling to a distant point the fact that mail has been deposited in the mail-box.

Another object of the invention resides in the, provision of a signaling mechanism for use in rural districts for the signaling at dis- :tantpoints the indication that mail has been placed in the mail-box, the signaling mechanism being not attached directly to the mail-box.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in. the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and articularly pointed out 1n the appended c aims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. a

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference character 1 designates an upright pipe or tube having its up er end notched, as at 2, and provided witli an opening 3 intermediate its ends in direct alinement with the notch 2.

A hood 4 is securedin any suitable manner to the upper end of the pipe or tube 1 and overhangs the sides thereof, as shown. A shaft 5 is j ournaled transversely in this hood 4 for the support of a pulley-wheel 6, which rotates in the notch 2 of the tube 1.

A T-shaped coupling member 7 is secured to the pipe or tubing 1 directly above the opening 3 and is designed to receive a horizontal tubing 8, which latter is provided with a vertical transverse opening 9 forthe assage therethrough of the cord 10, w 'ch passes upwardlyinto the hood 4 andover the pulley-wheel 6 into the tubing 1 and connected to a weight 11, arranged for sliding movement within said tubing. The cord 10 has its opposite end passed through the opening 3 of the tubing and upwardly into the latter for connection with the lower end of the weight 11. It will be observed that each end of the weight 11 is provided with an eye 12, with which the respective ends of the cord are connected. It will thus be understood that the weight 11 is designed to rise and fall within the tubing 1 and in its rising and falling cause the raising and lowering of the flag 13 secured in any suitable manner to the cord 10 exteriorly of the tubing.

It will now be understood that whenthe flag 13 is arranged directly over the hori zontal supporting-tubing 8 mail has not been deposited in the box and thatwhen the flag 13 is in its elevated osition indication is thereby made that mail has been deposited in the mail-box. As the weight 11 has a normal tendency to fall to the bottom of the tubing 1, and thereby raise the flag 11 to its elevated position, I provide means to hold the flag in its lowered position against the action of the weight 11. This means consists in a sleeve 14, provided with spaced ears 15 and a slot 16 in alinement with the space between the ears. A cam-lever 17 is pivotally mounted upon a suitable pivot-pin 18 between the said cars 15, with its cam-face 19 adapted to engage the rope 10, and thereby hold the latter against upward movement, and consequently prevent the weight 11 from falling.

Now when it is desired to permit falling of a the weight 1 1 and consequent upward movement of the flag 13 I provide the inner end of the cam-lever 17 with a erforation 20, in which I engage a wire 21, esigned to extend outwardly and longitudinally of the horizontal support 8, with its opposite end connected to the upper end 22 of a trigger 23, which is pivoted, by means of a pivot-pin 24, to the outer end of the horizontal support 8. In other words, when mail has been deposited in the mail-box and it is desired to raise the fiag 13 in order to indicate such fact it is simply necessary for the mail-carrier to pull upon the lower end of the trigger 23, and thereby, through the connection of the wire 21 with the inner end of the cam-lever, cause the latter to be drawn upwardly, and thereby disengage its cam-face 19 from engagement with the rope 10, the weight falling rapidly, and

thereby elevating the flag 13. It might be stated that the notch 2 and the opening 3 are arranged in such relation to each other and with the rope and weight 11 that the flag is limited in its upward movement eitheriby portion cast exteriorly thereof and directly over the perforation 3 to form a guide for the rope 10.

' It isto be understood that my invention is not connected in any manner to the mail-box, but that it is secured to the post at any dis tance therefrom, but preferably in close proximity thereto. It is also apparent that just as soon as the trigger mechanism is operated the weight within the tubing or casing 1 will drop and positively cause the flag to move upwardly. Obviously any color of flag may be used; but in the event that several posts may be of necessity in close proximity flags of different colors may be used, so that the owners of different boxes at different points could readily determine whether or not the signal for their box hadbeen operated, it being understood that the invention is particularly designed for persons residing some distance off from the mail-box.

What is claimed is 1. A signaling device comprising a hollow post having an open upper end and an opening in one of its sides, a horizontal member connected to the post and provided with a vertical transverse opening near its inner end, a weight slidably mounted in the post, a cord connected at its ends to the weight, means for holding the weight at the upper end of the post, and means for operating the aforesaid means to permit downward movement of the weight.

2. A signaling device comprising a hollow post having an open upper end and an opening in one of its sides, a hood arranged at the upper end of the post and in spaced relation thereto, a pulley-wheel mounted in the hood directly over the upper end of the post, a horizontal member connected with the post above the side opening of the latter, the said horizontal member having a vertical transverse opening therethrough, a weight arranged for sliding movement within the post, a cord connected at its ends to said. weight and passed through the opening of the horizontal member, a cam-lever mounted for en,- gagement of its cam-face with said rope to hold the weight in its elevated position, and a trigger mechanism connected to the cam-lever for moving the latter to disengage it from the cord and a flag carried by the cord for movement in opposite direction to the movement of the weight when the cam-lever is operated.

In testimony whereof I al'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERRY A. GORDON Witnesses:

CARRIE M. JETT, BERNIGE SAYLoR. 

